Our system is like no other because it doesn’t fall under any normal Hydroponics or Aquaponics garden. It is very similar to an ebb and flow, except the water is constantly flowing. Therefore, we have decided to name it a “constant flow” system. We are using goldfish to grow romaine lettuce.
Our target pH is between 6.5-6.7. We chose this range for a number of reasons. Optimum pH for growing romaine lettuce is between 6.0-6.7, however the optimum pH for goldfish is between 7.2-7.6. Ideally, we would pick a fish that can live in the pH range of our plants, but goldfish are the best for aquaponics because they produce the most waste. It is also not much of an issue because goldfish are very resilient and can survive in almost every climate, so if the pH is a little high it should not affect the live of the fish.
Our choice of light is a High Intensity Discharge light. It is 400 watts, which covers a 4 ft by 4 ft area. A 400 watt H.I.D. light bulb has the same power as 10 4-foot 54-watt T5 fluorescent light, so it is very efficient. Our system only requires 150 watts, but 400 was the smallest available.
More details to come, but in if you have any questions about our garden feel free to leave a comment!